


Spirit Walkers

by JustACapybara



Category: League of Legends
Genre: M/M, also maybe somewhat violent?, and no they don't bang, and yes they kiss, hope it's enjoyable!!!!!!, this is basically just udyr and lee sin's backstory but with a little bit of love sprinkled in
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-19
Updated: 2019-04-19
Packaged: 2020-01-16 05:51:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18515209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustACapybara/pseuds/JustACapybara
Summary: Two men seek guidance and find comfort in their quest amidst each other's arms.





	Spirit Walkers

The waves were calm, and the sun scorching.

The Freljordian stared at the cold sea in front of him, listening. The heavy bear pelt he used for warmth doing very little, as, despite the star bathing the frozen beach with its light, the howling winds froze Udyr to the bone.

He was young, the first hints of a beard starting to pop on his face, closing his eyes to try and focus on himself. It was so hard. And harder every day.

Even on this desolate beach, he could almost see through the eyes of those above, below and around him. A desperate bear, poking holes through the icy water to try and hunt a fish. Seagulls, far above, crying out as they flew deeper towards the sea to find their nutrition. Fish of all shapes and sizes, fighting a desperate cat-and-mouse game with each other, trying to survive in what was known to be the harshest seas of Runeterra.

And he tried.

And he tried.

And he failed.

His growls were audible, making what animal could hear him pause in fear, before moving further away from him. The fire inside of him, the primal urge to claim, to conquer, to feed and to fight. It consumed him. It would be so easy to lash out and, not unlike some Spirit Walkers before him, exile himself and live like an animal. Careless about the outer world, just a tyrant abusing his gifts. Oh, the feasts would be endless, the forests, the sea, the sky would be his. Nothing would stand in his way. 

But so much had been sacrificed for him.

He had to at least try.

Whether or not he enjoyed this 'gift', of having to take care of the land around him, he had to try. Even with what it had cost him, he had to try.

And success seemed so far away.

He opened his eyes, staring at the icy shore he was sat on. Snow and ice, the gravel beneath from mountains long gone getting pushed away from him due to the strong winds. Even the cold could not stamp out his wrath. The skies above, a dark grey despite noon having barely passed, heralded a storm. Shelter, he had to seek shelter.

His steps crushed the snow beneath, staring at the pine forests in the distance, listening to the rumbling of life inside. Every bird, every wolf, every deer and every fox. In the distance, deeper into the forest bears growled. Life was strong inside it.

Hunched over, having to use his hands for support on the snowy ground occasionally, the Spirit Walker forced himself forward, growling words of peace he had learned long ago before the Ice Witch destroyed everything he had. Before the urge for abusing his gifts for his own survival started to take over. They were just so easy. So... useful.

Why hone your skills when fish thought so loud about their surroundings. Why soothe the wounded when they were such an easy meal? Why bother building you shelter when, with flames and loud noises, you could steal a bear's cave for yourself? And so, so much more. It was so useful. It was so powerful. And the whispers of his most primal needs grew into howls at times, and yet.

He tried.

Under a tall pine, he sat, legs crossed and fuzzy arms resting on his lap, still hunched. Truth be told, he was hungry, and meditating didn't help. Indeed, he was not quite a bear despite how the skin behind his back sometimes seemed to meld with his skin, and his sounds were truly inhuman.

He needed food.

So he closed his eyes.

In the back of his mind, they were watching. Eager to see what he would now pick to feel, to become. Owls, hawks...

Bear. He picked bear.

In this pilgrimage there really was no other choice. Although he did the rituals to transition whenever a need appeared, such as climbing mountains as a Ram, or focusing deep within to scout the lands from above through the eyes of a willing friend in the skies, a bear had a lot of uses. Strength, claws, storing fat, a strong bite.

He lumbered in all fours through the forest, hands serving as paws, overgrown fingernails bent into claws, slobbering, grunting. To an outsider, this might have been a silly, or terrifying sight, depending on how one looked at it. A grown man making noises, huddling to a nearby river. Or a were-beast, whose pelt seemed more like a second skin, a moment away from finishing their transformation, forever stuck between these two states.

The river was deep, and the pines helped cover most of it so that the ice that formed was easily breakable. Though it wasn't quite the season for fish to be swimming up and down the river, there were still enough tasty morsels that it would not be a wasted trip.

A sane person would have used a stick or a rock to bash open the river so they could start fishing, but of course, the starving and confused man was all but 'sane', and the voices he had to interpret were not helping. So he clawed open pieces of the ice, that he could easily stick his hand into the deep waters below.

He had to shut everything down to be able to stare into the river without sensing their spirits, just their movement. A dull beast, doing everything he could not to abuse his gift.

To his surprise, despite a weakened state, his reflexes were still good enough, as a nice pile of fish was stocked beside him the sun went down in the horizon. Most animals, despite how much he hated it, avoided him. Even knowing about the easy and unprotected food source, they would not dare mess with a Higher Being, especially one they did not understand.

His meal was delightful, and not wanting to leave these go to waste, he scattered the remaining bones and fish that he hadn't swallowed so whatever scavengers that found it could enjoy a sweet, easy treat. They deserved it, something nice.

And as night fell, he continued, north. Always near the coast. Listening to the waves, exposing himself to the elements, always between the cold embrace of the waters and the warm concealment of the woods. Forcing himself to suffer for his impure ideas, for those horrible thoughts.

There had to be something for him up there, in the far north... there had to be. The Protective Ice Phoenix. The Fiery Artisan Ram. The Lightning Bear Warlord. The Sun-kissed Hawk. Even the Ice Witch, so he could arrange some well-deserved justice with fisticuffs. Anything. Anywhere.

And if there wasn't, well, it would've been far enough to let loose without harming human and too many animals.

So he continued.

Into the wasteland.

 

 

In Ionia, the Monk grabbed his canoe and started to row.

Some would call such a thing suicide. Some would call it madness. Some would call it courageous.

Lee Sin called it necessary.

Indeed, he was too young, too reckless. Barely having come of age, yet still stuck as a Pupil, he unleashed the potential hidden within him to impress his masters... and ended up paralyzing, nearly killing his very own teacher.

Banishment was necessary.

But so was learning.

Reckless, they told him. Always too reckless. And now, after years of having scrubbed floors and lit a hundred candles every day for years, he finally understood the meaning of the word. Through a disgusting display of lack of boundaries, but still. He had spent most of his early teen years wandering Ionia, trying to do what little good he could for little to no pay, but simply helping a few was not his destiny. The Dragons chose him for their power. He needed to learn. He needed to lead. He needed to protect.

And so, he was reckless once more, but instead of using it for the purpose of showing off, he used it to learn. Was a canoe a seaworthy vessel? Of course not. Was the sea bent to his will? No. But he had no money. No skills to carry him as a sailor to the far cold shores. Indeed, all he had this time were the acolyte robes on his body, the paddle in his hand and the wood under his feet. That, and a healthy stock of cookies, salted meat and jars of water to carry him a fair distance.

Yet to his surprise, the sea welcomed him. A coincidence, he assumed, as he slowly rowed further from the small port near the monastery. A dash of luck for a beginner.

Yet as hours became days, despite the vast blue not changing, the shores behind him disappeared, and his travel flew by. Weeks, they said it would take. At least. On a seaworthy vessel, a good one at that, maybe a month with good winds.

Yet the stars changed every night, and as his arms ached from paddling, he could feel the waves gently guiding him forward, strong winds pushing him towards his objective. Something beckoned or wanted to help. Why?

The waves gentle and the wind cold, the sun cooked him, as little by little his supplies dwindled until nothing was left. His attempts at fishing were, at best, laughable, and at worst, an insult to the practice itself.

Shoving his hand in the water, he waited for a creature to pass by, silent as he could be. After a few minutes of nothing, he started to get impatient, waving his hand very slowly in the water, trying to make his fingers seem like tasty morsels for the creatures below.

Still nothing.

He removed his hand, staring at the sea below, removing his Acolyte robes. If the fish would not come to him, then he would come to them.

Jumping into the freezing water, he immediately realized his mistake. With eyes wide open ready to grab a fish, his mind hadn't quite processed the fact that indeed, sea water was salty. And so, he learned the hard way what having saltwater splashed on your eyes would do to a man.

By mere luck or divine intervention, he managed to get a hold of his canoe once again, clambering in and laying on the wet wood. Groaning in pain as the sun cooked him.

And nothing to sate his hunger.

More days passed, thirst starting to get a hold of him, even as he tried to filter the water with his robes. Indeed, it seemed like all the luck that the Gods had granted him had run out, and as he stared at the sky, he realized that in his search for restraint, even then he could not find patience.

And now he was going to die.

It was a fitting punishment, although not one that the Dragon's Chosen should receive. But he had misused his power. Surely this was deserved, then.

He closed his eyes, letting the searing feel of salt wash over him in pain.

The day passed slowly, and he turned and wiggled, trying to find the least uncomfortable position possible, before finally passing out due to the straint he had just put himself into.

When he woke up, it was... to call it a surprise wasn't enough.

He was in a bed, the sound of waves hitting the hull. A hull. A ceiling above him. Conversation, far away. Some kind of ointment covering him, which made his muscles ache as he got up, wanting to explore this place he found himself in.

It was a ship's quarters, no doubt, seeing all the hammocks and straw beds on the floor. Windows, more like holes, let the warm sunlight bathe the silent room and stave off some of the damning cold that seemed to have suddenly crept in. Barrels and empty bottles, chests upon chests, cutlasses, and pistols... it screamed of a pirate ship. He forced himself to walk to a pair of heavy-looking wooden doors, leaning against them to open it up, listening to the commotion outside. Something was going on.

The cheers got louder once the doors were open, a large crowd of men and women cheering as they stood in the open skies. Blue flags with symbols he didn't recognize adorning the deck, flailing wildly in the harsh winds as the first snowflakes started to drop. Two warriors turned around as they saw the man who shouldn't be awake, let alone standing, staring straight at them.

"AHOY ME LADS!" The tallest of them, a beard almost going down to their belt buckle, scarlet as the dye on his robes spoke up. Wait, where were his robes? It was cold... "Looks like our guest finally woke up, eh?! An Ionian lampmoth!" The crowd roared with laughter, Lee Sin having to lean against the door to have any kind of support.

"Oh, you all keep singin' our victory! I'll make sure he's well... suited, for our ship, eh?!" Once again they roared, and with a fearsome laugh, the pirate walked Lee into the Captain's chamber.

The scarlet-bearded man closed the door behind them, wax candles illuminating his face and allowing Lee to get a better look. He was clearly old beyond his years, a nose crooked from being broken one too many times, lips always curled into a mischievous smirk. A frown Was hidden by a messy tangle of hair, seemingly there due to age.

He was clad in heavy armor, nothing like the pirates he remembered seeing at the seedier ports that surrounded his monastery. Chainmail and steel plating painted blue with the same symbols as before. Crossed axes, he now recognized. Although... more stylized than he'd consider appropriate for rogue pirates. 

A tall, imposing figure that screamed power.

It made Lee Sin flustered.

"Alright, laddie, I's got nothin' against you." A rough chuckle from a throat too sore from screaming so much, the captain made his way to the Captain's seat to rest.

The decoration of the room was clearly not Ionian. Red, sure, but with a double-headed axe adorning them. Noxian, he recognized it from his studies. Maps strewed across a table also spoke of a much more strategical sort of play... but these men were not generals. They looked like raiders. Pirates.

"Oi, boy, eyes on me." The large man hunched forward, resting his protected arms on the table. "Your ship crashed or somethin'? Why's you adrift? Got yourself a mighty piece o' luck, we found you during our scoutin'. Slept through the whole battle too. Shame. Would like to see what you monks do."

"I don't, look, I'm..." Lee stepped forward slowly, crashing on the seat in front of the captain's table. "Ugh. I... I'm not sure I unders... understand, where I am. Or where my clothes are."

"Oh! Right, right, that cloth o' yours. My boy, y' remember anything before you passed out?"

"I was sailing. Alone. On... that boat you found me in."

The Scarlet Captain stared at the Monk for a long while, before finally stroking his beard, thoughtful. "From Ionia?"

"Yes. I wish to head to the Freljord."

"On a piece of driftwood."

"I thought it was good enough."

"Well, you also thought you could make it with some jars. What's yer business in the Freljord anyhow, my boy?"

"I seek one of... one of your seers."

"You gotta be more speci--"

"Spirit walkers?"

"...Mhm." The captain leaned back on his chair, hands resting on the plating covering his, showing his teeth in what seemed to be a snarl. "Mighty courageous of you. What for?"

"I need guidance for my own... powers."

"What you need is to go back to Tea Island. There's no guidance a Spirit Walker can offer to the likes of you 'n' me."

"But I am not like you."

"Well, yes, you have shit for brains. Boy, we'll stop at the port, and I'll see about getting you back to Ionia then.."

"No, you don't understand... I.. ugh..." Lee Sin got up, using the table for leverage so he would stand up. "I am one of them! Some- somewhat, from what I understand. The spirit of the Dragon, it came to me. It spoke to me. It fed me its flames, it guided my flurry of blows, it let me drink from the same mighty fountains. I am chosen by the Drakes to be their word and fury!"

Once again, the Captain stood in silence, thinking. "Prove it, boy."

"Mmm?"

"You are a Spirit Walker, ain'tcha? Show me the power of the drakes. I mean, you can't even walk... so I'll tell ya what. We'll sail to a port near where you might find a good Soul Speaker. There, you prove your powers. If we all find out yer speakin' bullshit... well, trust me, the Winter's Claw will find you."

"Deal."

"Oho, eager." He got up, giving the plating over his belly a slap, making it echo in the cabin. "Then come! For now, you are our guest. Drink of our barrels and enjoy... whatever these slobbering dimwitted pigs had in stock. Come, let me take you. What's your name, eh?"

"Lee. Lee Sin.."

"Alright, Lee. Come on, steady now."

 

The blizzard had started to get stronger, his large Bear fur only doing so much to stave off the freezing cold, but still, he trudged forward through the thick snowy mist. On the distance, a shining light, glittering like the sun reflecting out of the snow. The distant squeals of a Phoenix, filling him up with determination.

It seemed like the end of his journey was closer than he thought.

Every step a fight on its own right, the snow engulfing his feet and almost breaking his ankles as he pulled them out, the winds so strong they almost pushed him on his back... and actually did, once or twice, send him rolling back.

He had to lean forward so hard that, if not for the winds, he would have fallen face first in a pile of snow and gravel. But indeed, he did not give up.

The lands around him were what the people of the Freljord called 'The old Wastelands', or 'The Frozen Heart'. A mockery of their old ways and the Fiery Ram's demise of his folk, seeing as the people had moved on to literal greener pastures, as the cold got more and more insufferable, despite the crippling loss of the Watchers.

Indeed, though, if the glittering Phoenix was to be an indication of anything... was that the Old Ones had not forgotten their people.

To his surprise, the blizzard started to die down... and the reason for why was now clear, as he stared straight into the rocky formation of a mountain, the bird's cries echoing from high above.

To say there was a path was... well, silly. The rocks were crooked and sharp, clearly spelling death to any that tried to step on it.

But as his mind raced for guidance from the Gods of old, he realized, indeed, there was no one more fit to climb a hill than the very one that this ancient region was named for. A Ram!

He dropped the bearskin cloak he had been wearing for so long, letting the cold seep into his bones. He sat on top of it and allowed himself to be open to the spirits.

They were ancient, wise, and knew that despite many other spirit walkers, Udyr was special. His determination and strength, if wavering, was worthy of envy when it shined through. The Ram conceded themselves for the young man.

The power flowed through his veins, determination, the like he had yet to experience fully. Burning. He opened his eyes, and the large fur he had to wear was now little more than a small cape, akin to a scarf, revealed to be in fact the wooly skin of a sheep.

His fingers found crevices that no man should ever be able to crawl up from, and his feet found footing in places even Piltovian scientists would call a flat surface.

The blizzard roared alongside him, the glinting lights beaming down at him, as if clearing his vision to a greater purpose.

A slip.

A slip was all it would take for this all to be over.

Udyr froze as he realized just how far from the icy formations and rocky base of the mountain he was, the wind almost claiming the Ram's skin that waved like a war banner, a white flag for the wilds.

One slip...

... and he wouldn't have to make any other mistakes.

It was a tempting offer, pushed to him by sheer desperation and fear. Fear of the heights he found himself in, of the disappointment he would bring, of the powers he would earn and how he would misuse them.

He closed his eyes, and breathed in deep.

The climb seemed a little lighter with every new platform, despite the way his muscles ached, that his fingers bled from such tiny supports, that his feet started to freeze due to the horrible cold. The dizziness from a lack of air. Though wavering, he forced himself to trudge forward.

Hours, hours must have passed by the time the rocky peak revealed itself to him. Not exactly a flat surface, but flat enough he could sit on the snow without fear of sliding to his doom. And just out of his sight, the glittering light, which was now nearly blinding him.

His fingers stained the snow red, but despite the pain, he waited patiently. The clouds were beneath him, and his breathing was shallow, almost breathless from the view, the climb, and the height of the mountain. The fact he hadn't passed out was a miracle.

A miracle that did not last, as unused to such a massive disparity and finally out of adrenaline, he finally gave out, laying in the snow.

Cold, cold snow.

Water.

He could not see her, but he felt her chilling presence nearby, a sense of love and protection only the fiercest Guardians could ever give out. 

The water beneath him was still, his feathers bathed in ice as he pulled his wings out, staring out in the frozen skies above.

"Udyr." The great Cryophoenix spoke, solemn. "Your doubt. What feeds it?"

"My powers are too great for me."

"Yet they were given to you. For a reason."

"A reason I cannot understand, I do not have guidance, I do not have eyes to see what I must."

"Yet you have the tools to give yourself the sight." The flapping of wings, and soon the misty skies above descended upon Udyr, who was but a simple bird.

"Do you see your nest? Do you see where your kin look for nutrition, do you see where the weak may huddle for comfort?"

"I do not."

"THEN SEARCH."

Udyr stared at his wings, red and orange, stuck within a thick barrier of ice. He tried to push himself up, but they were too heavy. He tried to walk, but always ended up in the same cold puddle. He tried waving his wings to push away the fog.

Nothing.

"Think of how they starve, Udyr. Though luscious fields await far and away, they cannot find their path there. You are failing them."

Pain struck him. Even the great Mother of Ice did not support him.

"Udyr."

She spoke with spite.

"You will fail us."

This was an insult now.

He felt it start to boil inside of him, his tiny avian body thawing out of the ice.

"You must do something. Or be a failure."

Ice chunks now flew into the fog, the water below starting to steam up.

"The Wilds count on you, Udyr. Soar."

With a screech to shatter the Iceborn and wake the Watchers, the ice turned into mist as fiery wings revealed themselves, allowing the Phoenix to ascend towards the sky.

"You fly! You ascend! Reveal the way, Udyr! Be you the speaker and the guide, the shepherd and their dog! Your light will be the Wild's lamp!"

Her words were barely audible through the loud squeaks Udyr let as he ascended, the body of a phoenix burning out as it forced the cold, cold mists to dissipate, thawing out the soil, revealing a gleaming sun above.

A map of the Freljord, cut up in three uniform pieces. In the north, where none would live except the ghosts of the ancient wars and myths nearly forgotten, the symbol of the ice witch. Her realm was dark, the ice unable to be molten, black as the sins of men.

In the middle, axes crossed, nomadic tribes littered through terrain mountainous and snowy. Sandwiched between the cold darkness above...

... and below, green and yellow trees, where the sun's glow shined the brightest. He could almost smell the fruits and taste the seeds. Feel the salmon squirming between his teeth... well, had he any teeth in this form. The worms, ready to be plucked. Warm waters for a comfortable life for the many fish and water folk.

"Your friends stand between the Watchers, and between Progress. I do not care if you forsake them, or if you side with them, for I am not a judge."

"But you must remember your duties, first and foremost. Are you ready for that? Putting the ones that chose you as their Speaker before your human brethren?"

Udyr nodded, feeling the flames around him burning brighter than ever.

"Good. Then go forth, burn our foes and light the way. The many voices you hear do not want to disturb or harm you! They are us, they are the wild, and we are begging you! Soar, Speaker! Soar and guide the weak and the strong!"

When Udyr's eyes opened, he was in free fall, the blizzard stronger than ever. There was no shining dot of comfort below, only the impending sensation of doom.

But he would soar.

With a roar, he started to spin, feeling fiery feathers start to appear on his arms. His cloak orange with their plumage, the upper skull of one adorning the top of the cloak like an extra pair of watchful eyes.

For miles on end, the fiery tornado that descended from one of the tall mountains dividing Iceborn territory and the Winter's claw could be seen. An omen, some whispered. Ill, good, neutral. The speculation was endless.

On the foot of the mountain, Udyr stood on his knees, wings burning hot as the sun, yet unharming. He knew how to soar. This power was his, and he would use it as intended.

 

At port, Lee Sin was stunned with the fiercely reinforced citadel he was met with. Almost as defended as his temple, but the sturdy walls of stone and wood were tougher and thicker than anything he'd seen, not to mention it was larger than most villages he knew. Crude logs, shaped into spiky barricades to stop anyone from climbing were the first line of defense. The ancient structures reinforced with newer blocks of stone, sections of the wall still being renewed. Ancient towers half-fallen being rebuilt by men and women dressed for war, not builders or peasants. People walking up and down the port with barrels, boxes of weapons, sacks of armor and all other kinds of supplies. It was a lively town, yes, but it was ready for war. 

 

The Scarlet-bearded captain pat him on his back, smirking. "Well, I's got to write a report. Y'ain't leavin' until Sejuani says so. Look for her at the big tent inside... if you prove yourself to her? Eh, I'll take our Warlord's word for it." His patting got rougher now, almost pushing him out into port. "Out ya go now. Shoo."

Slightly unnerved, he went down. Through the port and the large gates dividing the citadel and these docks, people all around him coming to see the prized ship the Corsairs managed to get their hands on. On the bright side, it meant fewer people questioning him.

There were a few ancient buildings inside, but mostly there only seemed to be tents, lots and lots of them. For one or two people each, except for one.

Almost the size of a large shack, smack in the middle of the snowy grounds, he could see two figures moving inside the tent.

Standing in front of the tent, he waited patiently for his turn, the two figures slowly stopping moving as they started looking at him.

Finally, a man with a helmet flapped open the tent, sword already half drawn. "Are- are you daft? What're you doin'?"

"I came to see Sejuani."

"The Warlord is busy. And you should stop standing in front of tents."

"I know. It will be quick."

"I said, she is busy. Whatever you want, it can wait."

"No it can not.

"You're not even Freljordian. Why--"

"I'm a Spirit Walker, or whatever it is you people call it!" Lee Sin yelled, clearly frustrated. "I wish to find another one with more skill to train me. There. Are you satisfied? Now let me see this Warlord."

From behind the Guardsman, a pale hand grabbed his shoulder, and her voice followed. "You may leave us."

Grumbling, annoyed by this foreigner's attitude, the Guard slowly walked away mumbling curses.

The woman behind him finally could be in the spotlight, blonde hairs past her shoulders and muscles to crush walls and carry trees. Though she was not in her armor, it didn't take a genius to realize this was a warrior without equal.

"Seju..."

"Yes. Sejuani, outsider. Come inside."

The tent was lit by candles and lamps, trying to pass warmth as well as light. Unlike the sleeping bags he saw inside the half-open tents, she actually had a bed, although, with only straws, some fur, and a pillow, it wasn't exactly much better. A large rod with a chain attached to a ball of ice at the end, making him somewhat confused as to what kind of warriors these were.

"Yes, it's true ice, if you're wondering." She spoke, placing her hands in a table with maps scattered across, half-eaten bread and cheese, and much too many daggers. "Now, 'spirit walker'. What have you been visited by? You are clearly not from the Freljord... though with how well you speak it, a wardrobe change would make you pass. I'm thinking ahead of myself. Well, go on."

"I want a guide. Someone better than me. I listen to the Dragon, yet I cannot truly comprehend it. I was given these powers for a specific reason, yet I can not stop myself from using them at every turn. Who amongst these folk can help me with this task?"

Sejuani listened intently, staring deep into his eyes before turning her head to the maps in front of her. "I am... close friends with one. Or, was. It's been a while since we sat down and talked. Always preferred the silence, that one. From what he's told me of his experience... I cannot blame him."

Picking up a Dagger, the Warmother dunked the tip into a small vial of ink near the candles, trailing a path through it. Stabbing the table to keep the weapon from tumbling away, she handed the map to Lee. "You are to follow this. His name is Udyr. I can't spare any guides, but seeing as you managed to get from that Noxian ship I assume? Being an Ionian? Well, I can't see you having any trouble. Grab yourself a warm coat from the armory. I know you monks enjoy your fists... who doesn't. But also feel free for grabbing some weapon from there. Should be enough spears for you to pick something."

Lee Sin bowed with respect in the proper Ionian way, and while she didn't quite understand it, she patted his head. "Uh, you're, free to go. This is the Freljord. Go do your business. We have a War to fight."

Being allowed to leave, he came back to collect his acolyte robes from the ship, as well as large furs. Indeed, if the sea was already rough, going deeper into the Freljord's heart would surely only be worse. He left without much ceremony, a walking cane in hand and the pelts on his back. Following the map Sejuani gave him, and feeling the presence of the mighty Dragons over him.

 

The voices were less loud now, less demanding. Udyr understood them, and they understood his wishes. Instead of squawking about their hunger, instead of whining about the cold, they huddled near him. The orange feathers on his back exhaling warmth, predators and prey walking together in unison. Beavers, a flock of ducks, owls circling above despite the daylight, rabbits with bear cubs, moose and goats. Behind them, from far away, more were coming. The north was going to be a war front, and they deserved better than being slaughtered, than being left to freeze in the Ice Witch's clutches. To greener pastures, cold enough to live comfortably, warm enough that the damned trolls and wizards would not torture them.

It was a ways off.

But they had time.

One by one, however, the animals started to stop, even retreat. Udyr didn't understand why, but slowly, a scent came in the air. A sensation. Power.

In the horizon, illuminated by the noon's harsh sun through the trees and the winter's mists, Udyr could see the figure. A large man, covered in pelts, staff in hand. He seemed to ooze power like a waterfall, greed and hunger, too. Not for meat. For more. More what? Udyr feared the answer.

 

Lee Sin heard the charge as soon as it started, and tried to not show it.

This wasn't the first wild beast he'd have to scare off. For some reason, they were aggressive to him. Despite how good it felt to overpower them, and how easy it would be to murder them, he forced himself to never take the final step. Always letting them go, bruised and battered as he left them.

And though he expected the charge, he did not expect the primal yell of anger of a human being.

Such was his surprise that Udyr almost got to tackle him, but with agility to annoy even the fastest owl, he managed to say out of Udyr's path.

Getting a better look at the man, it made Lee realize two things.

That he'd have to fight him.

And he was looking at a spirit walker.

The bared teeth, an arm in front of his chest and another far behind, both stretched out like Vastayan wings. Flaming feathers covering the underside of his arms, making sure to keep Lee Sin out of range. Eyes flaming as well, although the flames did not seem to affect him at all. If anything, he looked comfortable being bathed in them.

"You..." Lee Sin tried to talk but was cut off by a horizontal swing of Udyr's arms, almost like he was about to hit someone with an open palm and swung too wide on purpose, a wave of flames being released and missing out on him by mere inches.

A quick backstep saved him from having his furs catch on flames, but of course, the risk was always there.

Spreading his legs just enough he could easily dodge left or right if Udyr swung again, he dropped all the things that made him warm. Even his robes from Ionia. Completely exposed to the elements, although with Udyr's flames, maybe he wouldn't die of frostbite soon after. Who knows.

Spinning, Udyr let out three quick flaps of flames, before finishing by slapping his palms together, a roaring inferno being sent in the direction of Lee Sin. The monk backflipped, although, by the time he had recovered, the Spirit Walker was already charging in for a punch.

Even with flames swinging inches near him, Lee Sin kept his calm, urging the inner voices to be quiet. He knew he was more powerful than Udyr, than any other Spirt Walker that Ionia or the Freljord ever had. The Dragons roared, egos hurt by the mere fact they were not winning, let alone in the offensive. But he was no Dragon. He was their voice. And the tongue should know better than to lash out at any insult.

Udyr finally let Lee have some kind of rest, although it did not last long. Too curious by the fact Udyr seemed to be closing his eyes, he stepped closer, and too late he realized what the Spirit Walker was doing. His hands glowing a soft blue, or should he say, paws. 

Ever since Anivia gave him true sight for his purpose, and more importantly, peace, Udyr's powers had grown. The spirits respected him. He did not need to commune, nor did they have to ask. There was a quiet understanding, and together, the Freljordian Wilds backed up their Guide.

A heavy swing was thrown, and although Lee Sin dodged it, the fist passed too close for comfort. Seemingly predictable, his attacks were now delayed just enough to throw the Monk off, always dodging just in the nick of time.

Lee Sin could do nothing more than walk backward and hope he did not swing wide enough to strike him, as the mere sight of those clawed paws told him of the weight that they carried. Indeed, as he was slowly backed into a tree, he finally learned of the Spirit Walker's force.

Ducking just fast enough that Udyr could not keep up and rolling away, he turned back to see the damage that was done... though he could've easily heard it.

As the Freljordian turned to him, huffing and puffing, the tree beside him slowly, bent and crackled until if finally snapped, falling to the opposite side of Udyr. And if he could crack one of these pine trees with a single punch... he'd prefer not to parry.

He swung far and without restraint, clearly leaving himself open. If it was bait or not, it didn't matter, as all Lee was trying to do was survive without harming him.

For hours they played a game of cat and mouse, as Udyr revealed more and more of the spirits at his side. The fearsome charges of a Ram, the unrelenting swings of a Tiger, the calculated and lightning-quick strikes of a Turtle. They danced around each other, each blow missing by mere inches, less even. Flames licking Lee Sin's back as he flipped out of range, rough hands grazing his shoulder and arm before pulling away just in time.

By the time the night was starting to creep on them, Udyr had exhausted every single one of his forms, although he still had his arms up, the feathers of an owl and keen eyes focused on the monk. Lee Sin wasn't exactly better either, as he had to move far more than he was used to. Dodging was never his specialty, but now, it was more important than any of his training before.

"Spirit Walker, I..."

"You will not take anything from us," Udyr growled, yet did not advance, clearly too tired for it.

"I do not wish to take! I- I wish to learn!"

His arms lowered just enough to show curiosity. "What lessons will you learn from us other than pain? You possess too much greed. You are dangerous."

"I speak for the Dragons. If I am to be their word, then I am to learn to be better than them, right? I was chosen for a reason!"

A moment of pause.

The Spirit Walker stepped forward. "You are more dangerous than you think, then. You... are not from the Freljord, are you? The Dragons here... long gone. Hunted for fame... for fun."

"I am from Ionia. I must control the Dragon within. I must protect them from themselves. You must understand. You must help."

"Do not order me." He sat down, waving for Lee Sin to do the same. "I was given a vision, not long ago. Nothing to do with you, mind you. But strife is coming. War is on the horizon. You... we. We have to be there, in the front lines. It is our job to protect those who can't protect themselves. In my case... well, it's hard to stop a couple of ducks or deer from being murdered. I cannot let the deaths of a few weigh me down when many must still live. But you." Udyr raised his and to the skies, the constellations alien to Lee Sin. "You are the protector of Dragons. Few. Too arrogant. Too prideful. You must hone them... make them learn, as you learn now."

"Hone?" He blinked, confused. "They are beasts sharp as us. Their intellect doesn't need..."

"I do not mean teaching them. Not like storytellers. I mean..." Udyr scratched his scraggly beard, sighing. "... you must let them learn of softer ways. The wolf bites, but not the hand that feeds, and will hunt besides those who help them. The Dragons? If the tales are true... well, they seek to reign over all, even beyond themselves. The Bear that seeks to own all the forest will soon find herself with antlers and fangs deep in its sides. The Owl that lives high on its branch and takes only what it needs? She will live long and plentiful."

Lee Sin nodded, heeding the lesson with care, although he could feel the disgust of the Dragon's spirit deep inside him. But his recklessness was what got him here in the first place, and if it needed a tight leash to control this passion for power and displays of skill, then he would choke until he learned. "Then we must learn, and quench the flames of pride."

"I do not expect.. ugh.. here, let's..." Groaning with clear pain, Udyr slowly got up, absolutely wrecked from the fight they just had. Trying to help, Lee also learned that indeed, his legs were killing him, and his hands were no much better.

"Ah, damnation," Udyr grumbled, pulling Lee Sin's furs of the ground. Though a little muddy, there were enough layers to protect him from the elements. "I can't walk either of us to a town... Cryophoenix above, it feels like I'm about to fall in the spot."

Barely managing to drag himself a few meters away, looking for a good and large tree to cover them from any snowfall and hopefully block some of the cold, cold winds that froze the land, Udyr looked back to see Lee Sin struggling to carry his own pelts. Now that he was not overtaken by primal rage, he looked at the man, who probably was not much younger than him. Udyr was, by no means, old. Even by Freljordian standards, he was relatively young, especially as a Spirit Walker. A thought crossed over his mind... but he quickly shut it down with a yell. "HEY! You need help?"

Startled, tired and almost falling down due to the weight of his pelts after so much struggling, Lee Sin nodded.

The two, tired and bruised in their own ways, pretty much tumbled over the nearest tree they could. While Lee prepared to grab one of the pelts and roll over to one side, letting the Spirit Walker sleep as he usually would, he was pulled aside and sat on his lap.

Udyr seemed more confused than anything. "What are you doing, V... hmm... I did not ask for your name, di--"

"Lee! L-Lee Sin." He mumbled, clearly not used to such rough handling, let alone being this close to anyone that he wasn't trying to knock out.

"... Udyr. I am nothing but Udyr." He spoke, pulling the furs over them. Closing his eyes, expecting sleep to overtake him soon...

... but of course, it wasn't that easy.

"Do you... always sleep.. this close... to someone?"

"Yes. It's warmer this way, is it not? Or would you rather freeze?"

"Oh. No, I... y-yes, please, let's sleep like this."  
Of course, neither did budge, enjoying each other's warmth against the hellish landscape Udyr managed to call home, a Bear and a Monk snuggling together against the elements.

Neither wanted to admit either that, it was quite enjoyable.

Night passed, and through the chills of the morning mist, Lee Sin woke up to the whistling of birds, soft and distant. To his surprise, Udyr had his eyes open already, looking down at him.

"Good morning, Lee."

Under his breath, he cursed in Ionian, before smiling. "Good morning... Udyr."

Getting up and tangling their pelts from each other, they were quickly on their feet, ready to march. Silent as always, he carried himself forward, groaning as his muscles were still somewhat sore from their battle a mere night before.

Lee Sin forced himself to accompany the man's pace, ignoring the searing pain of a rough battle yesterday, not unused to waking up battered and still being forced to train. That, and his curiosity for the Spirit Walker was, in more ways than one, starting to take hold of him.

"How," So many things he wanted to learn! And of course, now that he was alone with a man like this, basically a stranger... a curiosity he held from his younger years took over him. "do you handle being out here? It feels... lonely."

Considering his whole self-imposed pilgrimage was due to the sensory overload of a thousand voices yelling at once in his ear, it did make Udyr laugh, although soon he found nothing but a smile in his face. "Oh, you hear the Dragon. I listen to the albatross. I protect the turtles in their cold beaches. I stalk with the sly fox, and the quick tiger. I am never alone."

"I did mean human interaction."

Clicking his tongue, Udyr's pace slowed a bit. "... yes, it does get a bit lonely in that case. A human's voice is... different. Pleasing to the ears, if not to the spirit." He nodded, looking at Lee. "And what of you? Do you not miss your brethren?"

"I have harmed my own. I do not... I wish to return, but not yet. I am not ready."

"You seemed rather focused, if misguided."

"You did not strike my pride."

"Heh. A true Dragon, eh? Be thankful I am not like the fierce Rams that live over the mountains."

The Monk chuckled, entertained by the supposed fierceness of a sheep. "Of course. You'd be fierce if so."

"A dragon indeed..." Udyr spoke under his breath, smiling.

Much did they talk on their way to the nearest Winter's Claw outpost, hoping that, if anything, they'd have at least horses. Udyr enjoyed walking, and few were the times he'd ever use an animal for any selfish purpose... but being so tired, and with the Dragon's Spirit stuck in some Ionian he had almost killed mere hours ago, this felt ok.

Their talk ranged and varied, from the warm and tempered Ionia, to the harshest mountains of the Freljord. What they ate, who they trained with. What their experiences were. Quite a few hours of walk, and many of those filled with banter, both of them finding oddities and curiosities about each other. They enjoyed each other's company, more than either could've ever expected.

The settlement was not much to the eyes or for them, but it had a warm meal that both could enjoy while sat beside a fire, and horses to spare for these two Spirit Walkers.

With their bellies full and mounts to help them traverse, they continued to talk as they traveled the roads, having no need for speed in this situation.

"So." Lee spoke, softly. "Have you ever thought about... other humans?"

"Quite a few times? Yes, I think about our species a lot. We are curious, aren't we? In a way, I feel like we are Spiri--"

"No, no, I mean... as partners." He chuckled, looking at Udyr. "You do not enjoy the Beasts now, do you?"

The expression of disgust and confusion Udyr made spoke a thousand words about what he thought of Lee's attempt at a joke, and for a while, they were silent, only the sound of the harsh winds blowing and the birds above singing and making them company.

Finally, Udyr replied. "I have, thought of humans in that way, yes...

 

...They're all dead now, however."

Mouth agape in surprise and horror, Lee nodded. "I, I am sorry I asked."

"Mmm? You were curious. Better to sate it with a question than digging through my past yourself. It... is a rather odd question, however. Especially to come out of nowhere."

Lee shifted in his seat, clearing his throat. "Well... do you... have you..." He nervously laughed to himself, staring at the far mountains in the horizon for comfort. "It is, it is a rather dumb question, yes. But. Have you thought about other men? Does the Freljord even allow that kind of thinking?" He continued his nervous laughter, unsure of himself. He was being too forward, too direct--

"... why wouldn't we? And yes, I have." Udyr replied bluntly, sighing. "Though there was a time I cursed myself for wanting another voice to this insane chorus... I think I could handle someone these days. What about you?"

"Oh. Uh." Lee Sin caressed his chin, unsure of how to answer. "W-well. Monks usually aren't allowed to have partners. But I'm not really a monk, am I?"

"Why not?"

"Why I'm not a monk?"

"Why can't your 'monks' find a bedmate."

"It's... distracting, from our duties."

"The owl does not spend day and night looking for prey. It sleeps. It mates. It soars. The Horse does not live to carry, but to run free and delight itself with hay. To bind yourself to a duty alone is to be like a bear that survives only to hibernate. A waste of potential."

Lee Sin nodded, lowering his gaze, letting his mount carry him forward. "I understand."

"I'm glad you do."

Though it took them a few days, having to huddle together for warmth with every night... not that either of them were complaining, they reached the Winter's Claws' fortress safe, and only somewhat starved.

There was a commotion in the gates as they arrived, people lining up to stare at the one that had disappeared for almost a decade at this point, and was supposed dead by many. They were bewildered to see he was still alive, how a shoddy amount of hair had become a scraggly yet still respectable beard, how much stronger he had become, too. And of course, the fact he was accompanied by the Monk, which had also been rumored dead, probably swallowed by their harsh land, unwelcoming of outsiders.

Silent, they both walked to the Warmother's tent. The fort hadn't changed much from the weeks Lee passed outside, other than a few more sharp logs being added to the defenses, and a few turrets being done. But more importantly, they were alive, and Sejuani couldn't help but smile at the sight of her old friend, and the man who had found him.

"Udyr."

"Sejuani."

Sticking his hand forward for a handshake, Sejuani gladly held his... and they banged shoulders, the bare tanned skin of Udyr clashing against the metal of Sejuani's armor, somehow coming out on top as she rubbed her shoulder, both laughing with childish glee. Lee Sin stood by the door, unsure of whether or not he should even attempt to join.

"So you really went and did it, huh? Kickstarted a revolution."

"This is no revolution, my dear snow-kin. This is a struggle to keep our lands as they are. But yes, I am now Warmother. What about you? Please, sit, tell me of what beasts you have communed with. Did they finally stop bothering you so loudly?"

"Oh, I have so much to tell you. Monk!" Udyr roared, startling the poor soul. "Come, sit with us! I have yet to learn of your arrival here. Sejuani, have you met him? An awful good lad."

"I sent him your way for a reason." She smiled. "It was a shot in the dark, but... I was hoping you'd be up there."

"Well, I was! And you, always the traditionalist... I do enjoy this fort too. But yes. Do you have drinks? My muscles are sore... Lee, while I'm out grabbing barrels, tell her of what happened!"

Laughing as he went away, the Warlord and Lee spoke between themselves and about Udyr.

"... and how good of a fighter he is. He, he was trying to kill me... but there was such good form in his arms. The way he charged, how he delayed every punch just enough to always make me have to improvise... it's... well, and not to mention how he was distracting..."

"Boy." Sejuani placed a gloved hand on his shoulder, smiling. "It feels like you want to take a walk with the Walker."

"Excuse me...?"

Tilting her head down and smiling, Lee Sin averted his gaze, scratching the back of his neck. "I.. understand, but..."

"Look. Man of Tea, I will not tell you that you can't love him. Truly. I've heard of love at first sight many a time, in the oddest of places, too. But war is coming. There will be hell to pay, sooner or later. Loving someone these days, in the Freljord... is an easy path to the icy depths of the mind." Staring at a candle, she continued. "You have seen his way of fighting. You know his job, here. If you two are going to Ionia, be it to train you, be it to live together... there will be a day where he'll have to come back, be it for us, be it for the southerners. You're young. I see it in your eyes." She turned from the candle back to him, staring deep into him. "Are you sure you are ready for such a huge loss?"

Lee Sin looked disturbed at her words but understood honesty when he heard it. Getting up, he bowed, just as Udyr came back with a barrel of rum for them, three tankards stacked on top of it.

"Oho! Not sure what I lost. I'm not sure, I care, either! Let us drink, to the Dragon Speaker, to my sanity, and to your victory, Sejuani. May it be swift when the time comes, eh?" He smirked, placing the cups down and ripping off the top of the barrel, dunking his tankard in.

Laughing a melancholic laugh, Sejuani got up, doing the same. "Come, Monk. Revel with us, before the sea to the Land of Pink Trees."

Getting up and having a closer look, he gagged at the strong smell of alcohol that assaulted his senses. The most he had was the light brews that the Temple made for their festivals, but this... the simple scent of it was burning his throat and making his eyes water. Not wanting to look like a weakling, however, he grabbed the tankard, dunked it in and raised his cup like the other two.

"To Victory!" Sejuani laughed gleefully.

"To Peace!" Udyr roared, spilling some of his drink back in the barrel as he swung his tankard. 

"To..." Lee hesitated. "... to learning and growing."

"Hooray!" The two cheered, slamming their tankards together, before doing the same to Lee's at the same time. Rum flew everywhere, but they did not care, and all three were soon drinking... and to his surprise, Lee felt rather comfortable with the fiery sensation inside of him.

Before they knew it, half of the barrel was gone. The night was young, the wind howling outside, lamps lighting up the fortress to show how much life dwelled inside.

"I think we should all head to bed. You two, there's probably a few vacant tents... feel free to grab one or two for yourselves."

"Uh, actually," Lee sin sat of Sejuani's bed, smiling. "We were planning on heading to Ionia as soon as possible."

"And I would let you two board ship right now, but the Noxian patrols are getting fiercer and fiercer, especially at night. They want to establish a foothold here and I don't know why... but I don't plan on letting them. You sail in the morning. It'll be expensive to maintain, but I can't send you in a fisherman's vessel... all the scouts we sent on those got sunk."

Scratching her chin, she smiled. "You two go to bed, I have... business to attend to. Dismissed." So focused she was, Sejuani didn't notice her tone. Udyr and Lee indeed left.

A vacant tent was indeed easy to find, seeing as most soldiers were religiously training, steel on steel clashing through the night, as well as the sound of hay being pierced by all kind of shaft. For Udyr, the screams were easy to handle. He lived in the north a long while, and he knew how rigorous their training was.

For Lee, surprisingly enough, it was about the same. Even though he was dismissed, the temple never slept, Monks zealously training to hone their skills and soul. As he was about to lay in the hay sack they had to call a 'bed', however, he realized...

"Uh, s-should I find another tent?"

"Your wish is your own." A pause. "... but if you want to know, your company would be appreciated. It still gets cold at night."

Although there was nothing overly suggestive, Lee Sin could still feel his cheeks burning, and heart thumping with anxiety. They both slept beside each other, and through the night, indeed got closer to each other, huddling for warmth.

The first to wake up was the Acolyte, and the first thing he noticed was the strong arm wrapped around him, the soft sounds of hushed breathing from Udyr. It was... comfortable. He didn't want to wake the Spirit walker up. But he also wanted to sate some of his curiosity.

Very softly as to not disturb the Spirit Walker, Lee ran his fingers through the hairy arm, breathing shallow. Yes, Lee Sin was rather strong, but Udyr was a wall. Thick muscles, so much hair, and of course, from the day they met... enough stamina to tire even him. 

Before his thoughts could deviate, however, Udyr was grumbling and moving. "Ghaa.. good morning." The man spoke, sitting up. "You think we should be going?"

"It's... early, isn't it?"

"Good." Udyr crawled out of the tent, yawning as he stretched. Lee followed along, going to the port with him for... quite the display.

The Winter's Claw had clearly been busy while they were gone, the stolen Noxian ship now looking like a dreadnought, its sides covered with a thousand shields. Small platforms had been built along the masts, allowing for even more archers, even if the conditions were rather precarious. The sides were covered with spears pointing outwards, making any unwanted boardings be an invitation for death. They even had cannons, stolen from the Noxians of course, and a rather healthy surplus of ammunition. A fortress on the seas, the flag of the crossed axes soaring high and mighty.

Sejuani had clearly been waiting for them, smiling. "Ah. You see that, huh?"

"Our ride home?" Lee Sin asked, bewildered.

"That's the distraction."

"... Pardon?" Udyr and Lee Sin spoke at the same time, confused.

"Oh, we have every tool available to wreck a good chunk of the fleet that's stationed here, but we also don't have enough woodcutters, a good shipwright, the tools... this is going to attract them like moths to a flame. What we're really after is the rest of their ships."

Pointing at a couple dozen longships of varying shapes and sizes, she smiled. "Of course a few will get shot down but we're not manning all of them. It's either getting blown up or getting boarded, and we're very good at killing people up and close. We're coming back home with a fleet. A proper one. Hopefully a few will slip by too, scout out wherever they're coming from... or who's supplying them."

"You two, however, are hopping on that." She pointed at a nearby longship, a seaworthy vessel, although not exactly what would be expected. "It has enough food and water for Ionia and back. But I'm sure that's the least of your worries, yes? You're gonna be on the firing range with the others. I told the captain who'll guide you two to stay back from the main ships, but we can't let them spot you. We lost too many scouts, and... well, I'd rather not lose you... or you, monk. So you both will disappear when the battle is at its peak. They'll be too busy to chase. And if anything goes wrong, DON'T try to be Heroes. Please." She spoke sternly, nodding to the boat. "Hop in. We should all sail shortly. The Captain's waiting."

All around them, the sight was eerie. It was an even split of boats manned by courageous warriors, and ones with sacks of ice and snow, scarecrows and whatever they could pile up to look like a man from a distance. Their boat was manned by them and a rather plain-looking bald man with a clean-shaven face, no armor except for a padded coat, and an ax by his side. He looked tired.

Cheers filled the harbor as they started to sail, taking advantage of the direction of the winds, not even needing someone to direct the unmanned longboats as they were pushed in the same direction as the Flagship.

It didn't take more than an hour to hear the sounds of cannons firing and screams, balls of magic fire and hot steel flying down from the skies. Every volunteer knew what they were getting into, even as their ships were burnt and they were forced to jump into the cold waters, some unable to swim to a nearby ship due to the weight of their armor. A lot of good men were lost before they even got hold of one of the ships, and it was clear Lee Sin was uncomfortable.

"Don't worry about it laddie," Their Captain spoke, watching the rain of fire and iron around them. "as long as they think they're hittin' something or someone, we're winnin'.

The sounds of a thousand arrows being released suddenly pierced the air, and to the Noxian's surprise, no flaming arrows. An advantage in their eyes, but the hail of arrows was too aggressive to keep their mages exposed. It wasn't long after the hail began that only cannonballs could be heard, and even them with less frequency.

The plan seemed to be going perfectly, and they were already veering off the other boat's path, until loud screams could be heard...

... followed by the sound of wood crashing on wood.

All three turned their heads to see their 'dreadnought' pierced by another ship, rammed at its side before the cannons could even be fired.

With the lack of suppressing fire, the fireballs started rolling back as well as the upper deck cannons, and what was once a Noxian massacre was turning into a Freljordian disaster.

"Are- are you seriously suggesting abandoning the fight..?" Lee Sin spoke, incredulous. "No, we can't!"

"Boy, didn't ya hear what the Warmother say? Win or lose, we's gotta get you out of here! We... HEY, OY!" Even Udyr couldn't be fast enough, as the Acolyte dropped his furs and hopped into the nearest longboat, doing the same over and over again, free of the burden of the strong pelts and kept warm by the blood rushing through his veins, heart racing more than ever.

"Stay here!" Udyr followed soon after, the underside of his arms getting covered in ghostly white feathers, and though his leaps from ship to ship were a thousand times less graceful than the somewhat small and reasonably light Lee Sin, the feathers did let Udyr glide a short distance, enough to reach each ship that the Monk used comfortably, all the while their Captain cursed out, urging them to get back.

The sounds of slaughter intensified with every ship they hopped, Udyr always a leap or two too late behind.

By the time they were near the hull of the ship, the fight seemed to be dying down... as did the amount of Freljordian screaming. Lee Sin jumped shield by shield with the agility of an ape, with the Spirit Walker close behind, having to use large, long claws to pierce the hull and climb, not nearly at the same speed as his friend.

The ship was bathed in red, more and more Noxian Soldiers jumping in every moment to replace their dead. They didn't seem to notice the Acolyte sneaking on board, ripping out the lances placed to stop exactly this situation... sadly, they didn't seem to work so well against ramming. Just as he was about to jump on board, Lee felt someone grab him by his ankles.

"We must go! This battle is not ours, Lee. Let them be."

"I can save them. Just you wait."

Using his strength to break free from the grip, the Monk leaped straight into battle without restraint, his yell echoing through the ships as he landed, the crackle of wood under his feet as a dozen Noxians were pushed aside to form a circle around him, just far away that he could handle it.

Having the majority and the superior equipment, the infantry charged nearly instantly towards him, trying to overwhelm this unknown force. But with the grace of a Dragon, every ravenous blow was dodged or redirected straight into another soldier. His upper and lower half working like different entities, as he kicked and dropped soldier after soldier with ease, all while he misguided the enemy weapons, turning them against themselves. A streak of red moving like water, making their blood flow down the deck.

Despite his skills, it was impossible to dodge every blow perfectly. A graze here and there started to pile up, and despite the number of bodies surrounding him, they simply didn't stop coming. It seemed like he'd get overwhelmed sooner or later and the Noxian insults kept reminding him of that. So much for learning restraint...

He had accepted his fate but still tried to take as many as he could with him, until he heard the commotion, even further behind enemy lines. The roars of a bear above the sound of steel clashing against steel, followed by screams.

Taking the opportunity of the dazed soldiers, he slipped through their ranks all the way to the Spirit Walker, whose fists had turned into blue paws, phantom fur growing all the way to his forearm. The strength of a bear breaking necks and jaws with mere punches, even direct hits against his skin being shrugged off as he kept smashing through everyone. Lee Sin could feel the Soldiers being pushed back towards himself and Udyr, as the Freljordians that were left took advantage of the confusion and their newfound allies.

Indeed, now that they were squished between magic and might, some desperate Noxians jumped out, clearly not taking into account what reaction the freezing waters would give their bodies with blood and adrenaline burning through their veins. All and all, it seemed like the battle was about to be won.

And yes! Through hacking and slashing away at the fiends, soon a scarlet-haired man and what was left of his crew found themselves face to face with the Spirit Walkers. Although drenched in blood, the hues of his fair beard were indisputably the Captain that brought Lee Sin from the brink of damnation.

"My lad!" The Captain hugged Lee Sin, giving him a few way too rough pats on the back, which were nothing compared to the slices of a blade. "Ah, seems like ya finally got to repay the favor, eh? Come, we need to take hurt and--"

"No." Lee Sin hissed, staring at the presumably last resorts of the Noxians, a few warriors staring back down with fear and anxiety. "I will make sure you can go home safe, and with both of these. Just you see."

There was a burning piece of arrogant pride deep on his chest, fueled by finally being able to unleash what he assumed was his full potential... not to mention the fact both men who were helping him were around. Admiration and vanity whispered in his ear. The very flaws that he wanted to rid the Dragons off taking over him.

Without a care in the world, he started to climb the ship, those last Soldiers yelling and backing away, making a shield wall... lacking spears, funnily enough. Lee Sin did not advance and neither did his friends, both Udyr and his savior just watching.

Standing in the bowsprit, Lee Sin laughed, and even the ships far away could see the glow that surrounded him. A mist of golden light, flaring almost as brightly as the sun.

"I AM LEE SIN! I AM THE DRAGON'S FIST OF IONIA!" He yelled loud enough that his voice could be heard echoing back in the fortress the left hours before, taking a step forward, the sound of metal shuffling as the Noxians tried to reposition making him smile. Oh, they feared him. "IS NONE WHO STANDS BEFORE ME EVEN GOING TO DARE SLICE ME? YOU PATHETIC COWARDS DARE DEFY THOSE BENEATH YOU, BUT NOT ABOVE YOU? PATHETIC! COME FORTH, AND DIE WITH DIGNITY, IF NOTHING ELSE!"

They didn't budge. But from the Captain's quarter, someone did.

A tall man, towering above the rest, a large sword in hands and a tower shield somewhat taller than him. Lee Sin looked like a child compared to him, and even Sejuain would need to stand on her toes to match his height. His armor was heavy enough to make the planks underneath him crackle with every step, not one inch uncovered by cold metal.

"Come forth, Dragon." He said, slamming his shield on the floor, his soldiers backing away "Just. You. Try." The field General spoke, contempt dripping from his voice. 

Pride spoke louder than reason, as Lee Sin charged forward with a roundhouse kick, easily blocked by the shield, only making the giant take a step or two back. "IS THAT ALL YOU GOT?!" Laughing, and just as reckless as Lee Sin, he opened himself up and swung his massive sword in front of him, forcing the monk to back off. "YOU ARE PATHETIC. I feel disgusted to get the title of Dragonslayer from killing a weakling such as you! But I'll take it."

Again and again Lee Sin tried to break through the shield, and again and again, the Captain just stepped back, unable to stand his ground due to his sheer size but never quite being enough to make him fall down. The insults did not help him focus either.

It was only when his blade finally hit, the cold steel making Lee Sin's already bloodied robes stained with his own blood, that he realized his mistake. He was a Dragon, yes.

A Dragon.

Taking off his robes, the Bulwark of a man simply watched, confused. What would he do with a robe? 

With a scream, Lee Sin charged forward, and once again the Captain raised his shield. Another kick. Another block. It was a game of tiring out the stupid monk now... but though he felt pressure applied to the shield, he wasn't kicked.

Lee ran up the shield, leaping into the air and landing with the robes... straight over the General's helmet. He pressed his feet into the back of the General, forcing him to step back over and over again, muffled insults and yelling barely managing to escape through the cloth.

The soldiers were left speechless as they saw their leader tumbling around like a blabbering fool, being guided like a bull in the Fleshing. And finally, the Monk managed to make him stumble on the port side, his heavy weight coupled with the disorientation forcing him to stumble back. Lee Sin took the opportunity to get up and into his shoulders, the General's fate much too late to be revoked, but also slow. Using his body as support, Lee Sin kicked the Captain's head, leaping back to the ship with his robes in hand while the General yelled all the way to his cursed prison, his very protection being turned against him as it forced him to sink deeper and deeper without hope of surfacing or swimming.

Oh, he was feeling terribly cocky.

"DO YOU DOUBT ME NOW?" He stepped forward, arms open even as he openly bled from his chest. "THE DRAGON'S FIST OF IONIA WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO PASS!" Again, his voice boomed, louder this time. "FLEE YOUR SHIPS, FLEE FROM THIS LAND AND NEVER RETURN YOU WORMS!" 

Indeed, from the small fleet that the longboats and Flagship were posed against, quite a few reasonably sized ships stood still as men jumped to their watery graves. One or two fled at full speed, but overall, it seemed like they had won more than they had lost.

Even those in front of Lee started to leap, except for a few, who bowed to him like a God. Oh, he could get used to this.

"Lee!" Came a scream from behind him, which threw off his Godly composure back to the young Monk that needed guidance.

"Join us or perish, dogs." Lee hissed back at the few that were too afraid of death, or too bewildered by the godly display to jump. He was met with Udyr, arms crossed and staring down at him with anger.

It soon turned into a smile.

"You... did well. But you could have done better."

"They have a fleet now. I saved lives, I killed a general, and you think I could do better?"

The smile faded, and it made Lee realize just how arrogant he really was being.

"Yes, I think so. Had you let I board with you. Had you waited until I convinced our guide. You did well in not abandoning them... I was going to do the same, truly. But you can't just charge. You can't announce who you are. Cannons speak of their greatness, yes, but they are also nearly indestructible. Look at you." Udyr took Lee's robes and wrapped them around the Monk's chest, a little too tight to be comfortable, but he could already feel the blood flow slowing.

"Now come inside. Hopefully, our guide will still be back there... I think I could learn a thing or two with you Ionian monks."

They laughed, hugging each other.

"I'll try to fight beside you from now on then..." Lee spoke softly. "...If you manage to keep up."

"I think as long as I have you by my side... yes, we'll be a force to be reckoned with." Udyr smiled and seemed not to quite understand why Lee Sin started to blush even harder.

"Is it too cold..?" Udyr spoke, and before getting an answer, was already placing his Bear pelt over Lee Sin's back. "You can keep it for a while.

"Thanks." The mighty Dragon's Fist managed to whimper out, following Udyr around the ship like a dog and his owner. 

 

 

It took a trip to Ionia, months living together and training together, but Lee Sin finally built up the courage to ask.

Udyr's hair and beard had grown, and due to the warmer winds and climate, now wore his pelts around his hips. He sat on an island in the middle of a lake, beneath a tall Sakurai tree, breathing slowly.

His arms were glowing a bright green, spiky and scaly. His fists solid blocks of meat, the same kind of ghostly phantom light coming from his back, which looked no different than his arms. Eyes closed but still watching. A silent sentry over a silent kingdom.

Though in his homeland the turtles were even more resilient than those of Ionia, they possessed something special. From watching, communicating and learning, his powers expanded. They taught him of their beaks, of how they could break bone and scale with ease if need be. Of their patience, and of their trickery.

Many a thing were different in this Island, and the more Udyr learned, the more fascinated he was with it. He knew that the Freljordian beasts were not the only ones, but he never expected this kind of variation.

And how polite and silent they were... respectful of their student, as much as he was of these teachers.

He enjoyed this land.

Other than the wind, the loudest thing around was the sound of paddles that had just begun. Dragons were hated by most, if not all creatures, too fearsome and arrogant to be allowed to live. So while Udyr swam freely with the beasts, Lee needed a boat.

"My... Spirit Guide." Lee spoke softly, in Freljordian.

The surprise made Udyr open his eyes. They had been training him in Ionian since they arrived. Why the sudden change? "Yes?" He replied, also in Freljordian.

"We have fought together for... for so long, now. It's been almost a year."

"Yes."

"And I think I'm in love."

Udyr stood silent, watching the watery depths below. He didn't reply.

Instead, the spirit energy fading from his hands, he wrapped his fingers around Lee Sin's and continued to watch the waters below. Lee Sin saw his smile reflected, and smiled too. 

That was enough of an answer for him.

They spent the day silent, watching the fish swim near the island, geese honking in the shore as pelicans flew above. Pink petals adding even more life to the colorful green lake they found themselves on, surrounded by ancient oak trees.

The night came, and wordlessly, Lee Sin was pulled into Udyr's lap. The moon illuminated them, the crickets filling the air with their own kind of music as the wilds went mostly silent. Silent enough for Udyr to hear Lee Sin's breathing in peace.

It was a good night for both of them, even if neither slept. They stared at the skies, simply enjoying its natural beauty. And from there, they stuck like glue.

They would go on to spend almost a year in Ionia and planned on continuing their travels of self-discovery.

Until that day.

Desperate, mounted on an armored horse, a Soldier with armor pierced by arrows rode into town.

Well, it was a village. Simple and rather quiet, surrounded by a thick forest, a calm river flowing nearby. The Spirit Walkers were currently enjoying a nice bowl of soup near a makeshift fire, talking to some of the locals. The man descended from his horse as people started to gather around him, curious, afraid.

"Men and women of Ionia! All those of able body, grab whatever weapon you can and follow me! All those who can't fight, are not of age or are too ill, gather your things and flee south! The Axe Bearers have stormed our shores! Go, NOW!"

As he watched the people rush into their homes, men and women wielding things ranging from bamboo spears and kitchen knives to heirloom swords, some even managing to put armor. While the village struggled and organized, Udyr and Lee approached the wounded Soldier, who was currently in the process of deciding whether or not to try and break the arrow shafts or leave them be.

"Messenger, be they Noxians?"

"Wh- where are your weapons? Yeah, they are, grab something or help the others flee! You're not helping us standing still!"

Lee sin stepped forward, but Udyr placed a hand on his chest to stop him from going any further. "How many? Are they testing waters or sending their all?"

"Their.. all. We've had two ships land in the weeks before, and before we knew it, there was a whole fleet! They started the attack this morning, they want to destroy the Temple!"

"Warn the other villages and take the peasants. We'll take care of this."

He gave both of them a confused look. "Who do you think you are?"

"I speak for the wilds."

Lee Sin smiled. "And I, for the Dragons."

Udyr nodded. "Now go. Warn the other villages. Do not tell them to come... they'll get ambushed, and there are worse fates than death. Warn someone important. Spread the word. It ought to reach the Empire's ear sooner that way. Go, take your horse!"

Nodding, stunned at the fact these two scruffy looking men were so knowledgeable, he and his horse walked deeper into the village, announcing the change of plans. They were to retreat deeper into the Island until they found somewhere safer.

The Spirit Walkers charged forth with impunity down the road. The Monastery was not far from this village, wich was mostly used to supply them with food and simple things, like bowls and hats.

Lee Sin's speed slowly came to a crawl halfway to the temple, realization and fear painting his face.

"... my flame?" Udyr spoke softly in Freljordian, not realizing his mistake until he continued, now in Ionian. "What is wrong?"

"I know this Temple." Lee Sin replied, stopping dead on his tracks.

"Good, then w--"

"I was exiled from it."

Udyr stopped for a moment, before moving faster, zealous purpose burning in his eyes. He needed a word with these monks, but for that, they needed to be alive.

For a while, it seemed like Lee Sin wasn't coming, but soon enough the Monk was beside Udyr again as they charged forward with purpose in their steps.

As the forest started to clear, came in view a beautiful and ornate Temple in the style of proper traditional Ionians, built onto a mountain overlooking the beautiful sea below, a small beach at the feet of the temple allowing the invaders to start building their siege engines.

The Noxian ships were numerous, as were the multiple lifeboats, more and more men being brought to take out the temple in them. Massive catapults firing at the side of the mountain, intended to cause it to slide down and fall into the sea. The Temple was going to be destroyed.

Through the path leading up the Temple, a thousand arrows seemed to be in the sky at all times, the few monks left using every ounce of their skill to try and keep the invaders from pushing, but they only had so many arrows, and the Noxians had brought massive wood planks to serve as shields. All the way to the beach through the stairs, crimson cloaks. They couldn't climb that way.

"We can't handle all of them."

"No, there is another way. The path of shame. Follow me." Lee Sin ran, and Udyr was hot on his heels.

The path Lee Sin spoke off was a thin, steep set of stairs leading straight up, hid by the thick foliage of trees and grass, seeing as the path was barely ever used. Both of them sped up, the sounds of yelling and fighting almost making Lee Sin fall, but Udyr was there to catch him.

When Lee Sin tried to open the trap door leading into the temple's basement, he realized it was blocked. "I... I don't want to..."

"I'll help you push. We'll get in."

"I don't want to break it."

"They will tear the Temple apart if we do not break it. I'll do it for you, if you want."

"... please."

Putting his hands onto the trap door, Udyr's bear form made quick work of the box full of mangoes that was blocking the trap door... and the trap door itself. They clambered in through the mess of fruits he made, and soon enough found themselves inside the Temple fully.

The battle was in full rage, monks roaring as they slashed and diced the unprepared infantry, which was expecting not more than a few guards. For every monk slain, two dozens of soldiers were strewn across the floor. Paintings on the thin wood walls getting retouched with blood, ornate vases of thousands of years being used as projectiles by desperate soldiers that were soon cut down. Each sweep from the monks sending the soldiers back.

The two new arrivals wasted no time, jumping into battle with fists and feet ready. The monks stopped their attacks as they recognized the Spirit Walkers, backing away to allow their work to go unpunished.

Lee Sin and Udyr did quick work of the invaders, wich were retreating and regrouping at the bottom of the stairs. Fists bloodied and ankle-deep in gore, a monk stepped forward.

Now that they didn't have to worry about the battle, Lee recognized many of the monks there... somewhat. They weren't supposed to be here. Wearing colors from all over Ionia, distinct symbols and animals. This wasn't their temple.

"The Dragon's Will." An old voice muttered, drapped in red cloth with golden ornaments, the symbol of a dragon carved out of jade hanging from a necklace. He looked as ancient as he sounded, yet his fingers were even bloodier than either him or his lover.

"Yes, Master."

"Do not call me Master, you are not a part of us anymore. Not only that, you bring a stranger to us."

Udyr stepped forward, growling. "I came to save you people. This man has done nothing but learn and improve himself in the last years. Why do you think he's come back in your hour of need?"

"This is not an act of grace, this is guilt eating away at his flesh." The Elder hissed, stepping up to Udyr. They were eye to eye, almost the same height, dwarfing Lee Sin even now. "And you have no business here."

"Maybe I don't, and maybe he shouldn't be back here. But we are. And we will not allow this temple to fall, whether we have to fight only Noxus, or destroy you as well."

"... Very well."

Very quietly, Lee Sin managed to squeeze out a question. "Why are they here?"

The Master laughed, crossing his arms. "They were called, unlike you and this brute. Noxus had been planning an attack for almost a year now, scouting us, crows circling an elephant. The attacks started a week ago... all other temples can fall, but this one will not be allowed to know defeat."

"Then we'll fight like demons!" Udyr growled. "We may not be friends, but today, we are allies."

The Elder nodded, recognizing the fact that four more hands could be the difference between victory and utter defeat.

They took the moment of calm before the storm to patch up each other, clean the blood and ready themselves, mentally and physically. Bodies were tossed out of the side of the mountain, the fallen monks being laid to rest in the rooms reserved for the acolytes.

The charge came, but they were ready. Again the arrows darkened the sky, monks using every arrow they could find to continue the suppressing barrage. But it was no use.

Soon enough they started pouring in through the only entrance avaliable to them, and guarded by the spears and shoves of the desperate Monks, Udyr and Lee Sin attacked relentlessly.

Without looking at who or what he was attacking, soon enough Udyr's fists met something he could not push back as easily as the others. A warrior wearing enough armor to be considered truly invulnerable. "HAH, IS THAT WHAT YOU IONIANS HAVE TO OFFER? FALL UNDER OUR BOOTS, VERMIN!"

The lack of consideration for his allies was staggering as the Knight swung his sword around him recklessly, uncaring of whether he was haring friend or foe, knowing his armor would be enough to sustain any attempt of Udyr to stop him. And, though Udyr dodged the swing, he could not foresee the downward slash that soon followed.

With pure instinct overtaking him, the blue glow turned green with the blink of an eye. Snagged between Udyr's teeth, the sharp blade. Stunned, confused and unsure of what to do, the Knight just stood still, which gave the Spirit Walker enough time to follow through with this bizarre counter. Chomping down harder, the blade was snapped in half, and before he could gather himself into a fighting stance, Udyr already had the blade firmly planted between both of his hands, thrusting it deep into the neck of the warrior with all his might.

It was a small victory however, as more came moments after he fell, wielding warhammers, axes, and maces. The few monks around them trying their bests to follow suit, shoving their lances and polearms into the exposed necks, but there were just too many. They were starting to get overwhelmed. Lee Sin was kicked on the ground, getting coated in Noxian blood, ears ringing and barely able to breathe.

With all the strength he could muster, Udyr charged forward towards the door, and used the phantom shell he had covering his back to allow the monks to gather themselves, but it was no use. Sooner or later, his shell would break. There weren't enough monks to protect the halls. They would fall.

From deep inside, a hushed growl spoke to the fallen Monk.

"Victory can be ours."

Another voice, angrier, desperate. 

"They are yours to kill alone."

Another sharp pain, heat filling up his chest. More voices. Angry. Loud.

"Crush their bones."

"Prove your might."

"He is yours to touch alone."

Louder and louder, overlapping, all while his chest filled up with flames he could not control. Udyr and the best Monks he knew couldn't hold back the tides of Noxians. How could he hope to?

"You are a Dragon."

"Go forth and burn."

It started as a smoke. Everyone was too busy trying to kill each other to notice it, but then the flames began. The smell of burning flesh, making monks turn their heads, some meeting their doom due to the curiosity. Lee sin got up, engulfed in flames, fire licking the wooden boards above and the paper lamps. Udyr raised his head, and without exchanging a word with the fiery visage, fell to the ground, the monks being pushed towards the wall with such a 

With a yell to shatter mountains and crumble kingdoms, Lee Sin threw himself towards the fiends.

An unfortunate soldier took the first hit, the sound of his jaw snapping announcing the start of the massacre. Lee Sin's fists and legs were a blur, flames swirling in a tornado of doom as he stopped the assault on its tracks. The mighty soldiers with unpenetrable armor screaming as they attempted to remove their steel plating, getting cooked alive, the leather boiling and chainmail getting glued to their skin in a gruesome display of cruelty.

The monks stared in awe as Lee Sin burnt up the floor and walls around him, swiping with claws of red flames. They started to gather everything they could save from the flames, Udyr following along with them, but not before glancing one last time to his lover. If the Gods were merciful, he'd be able to stare at him once again.

Though his fire was all-consuming, more and more soldiers started to pile up around him, focusing on killing this aberration rather than storming the temple.

Their swords and axes melted before they could even touch him, soldiers trying to push back as the heat burnt up their skin from being so close. Merely standing would be enough to ward off the invaders, but the Dragons' spirts begged for a lesson to be taught to these invaders.

Lee Sin smashed the ground with the fury of a lightning strike on a tempest, cracking the wooden boards and even the stone beneath, the very foundation of the mountain shaking. Crippled, disoriented and ravenous for glory, the Noxian wave didn't stop, despite the bodies that piled up around Lee Sin.

As he got more and more overwhelmed, the desperate push of the Noxians forcing him to step back despite his flames, something clicked inside of Lee Sin, A fury he could not quite describe, an annoyance over the lack of power to push them all. His arms had only so much range...

... but his body had unmatched power.

With another startling scream, as the flames started to consume bodies and scorch the temple's walls and ceiling, Lee Sin put every ounce of his being to empower his kick. His target, another Knight wielding nothing but armor. Lee leaped in the air... and kicked.

For a moment, Lee Sin's sole rested against the plating of the Knight, a single solitary second of calm before the storm.

The front of the temple, already crumbling due to the relentless assault against the mountainside and flames from the Dragon's Spirit, went flying alongside the Knight. Spiraling out of control like a comet, a molten orb of steel and flesh searing all in its path. The screams of the noxians were soon silenced, most of them dying without knowing what hit them, or being knocked off the path and falling off to their deaths due to the sheer force of the projectile. If there were any livng Noxians after such a kick, they would barely be able to stand up, let alone fight.

The boulders seemed to have stopped, and the ships in the harbors below seemed to want to cut their losses, fleeing as the few engineers and grunts mounting their weapons struggled to row their lifeboats back to their ships. The day was won.

Barely.

Lee Sin yelled a cry of victory, which slowly turned into desperate and painful screaming. He fell to his knees, still surrounded by the flames, arms shaking. He could not feel anything except the excruciating pain from the indomitable fire of the Dragon's spirit, hungry for more, unleashed now to be beyond Lee Sin's control... if it ever was. 

Most monks had hidden on the basement or were loading the precious treasures onto small boxes, ready to flee somewhere to evaluate the damages caused, including Udyr. He was the first one to come out, desperate to check on his lover as soon as he heard the screaming.

The view in front of him was horrifying.

Crying in pain, yeling at the skies, trying to step outside the temple with his arms outstretched, flaming wings of blue flames extending from them, Lee Sin. Bodies black, charred, cloth burning. Not to mention the fact a good chunk of the temple was now gone.

Only one thing mattered to him, however.

Darting into the fire, the Phoenix protected him. Unlike the violent spurts of fire, Udyr's flames were controlled, calm and focused. Embracing his lover, it seemed like the Dragon's Flames would toast him... but with perseverance and force of will, he smothered them, thankfully the host to the Dragon's spirit being too weak to keep it burning any longer. Lee fell, and carefully, Udyr knelt, embracing the Acolyte and pulling him close.

Finally Udyr could see Lee Sin's face once again... but the sight left him speechless.

Two hollow sockets, blood oozing from them like tears. Teeth cracked, probably from clenching them too hard. Just out of his sight, a twisted ankle, not strong enough to resist the pure strength put behind the kick that saved the Ionian monks. Lee Sin was within an inch of his life, and it was a miracle how he was still conscious.

"My love, I am here now. I am. Please." Udyr tried to wipe away the blood from Lee's cheeks, but too much was flowing out. The Monks that approached were staggered at the visage, and the destruction left on their wake.

"He... he did this?"

The Spirit Walker nodded. "And he could do so much more. Hand me bandages! Now! He needs help."

While the monks scrambled to find items to heal the poor Monk, who continued to sob and howl, Udyr continued to sooth the pain as best as he could.

"It will be ok, my dear.... it will be ok."

 

A week had passed.

This was the first night Lee Sin could feel his hands again, and he gripped the sheets under him. The voices, previously only present on the deepest dreams he had, finally silent once again. They had showed him power. And his body was not ready for it.

"My love." That rough, caring voice. Lee turned to see him, but...

"My.. e.. e.."

"Do not struggle." Udyr put a warm hand on his chest, and now Lee could realize how cold he was. He had blankets on top of him. His jaw and teeth felt on flames. And still, most of his body was paralyzed. It didn't help that he couldn't see anything.

"You gave... so much. To help them. Them all." He continued, a hint of pain in his voice. Lee Sin could hear him shifting on his seat, the heartbeat pounding. Footsteps outside. The chirping of birds. The buzz of the bees.

"Sleep, my love, sleep. Please. You're not yet ready."

And again, he slumbered.

Almost a full month had passed before Lee Sin could actually stand, barely strong enough to walk. With enough concoctions, magic and strict supervision by Udyr, Lee Sin was finally healed. The strain from wielding so much power was not like the broken bones and sprained limbs that happened occasionally to every monk. It was a wonder Lee Sin was left alive at all, and that he only lost his eyes.

Udyr guided him slowly, but Lee Sin already knew who was there. Five heartbeats, pounding. His and Udyr's, too.

They were in the ruins of the temple that Lee Sin called home years ago, on the back rooms. In the main hall, or what was left of it, they stood.

"Lee Sin." His elder. The one that would've kept training him... had he not paralyzed another master of the arts. There was pride in his voice. He'd smile, but it still felt like he was kicked straight in the jaw by a horse.

"It is our pleasure to announce that... though our monastery is destroyed, it can be rebuilt. Like the Dragon's scales, it can be regrown. From nothing, they can rise to greatness. Lee Sin, once you had destroyed your opportunity, but you were young. Years have passed. We ask of you, will you be like the Dragon, and start from nothing once again? Or will you live with your deeds, living in a world of unborn potential?"

The sound of wind being displaced, a hand outstretched. Was this what being blind was like to everyone, or was it just the Dragon making everything feel like so much... more? It was dizzying. His grip on Udyr got tighter, but with one hand still clinging to his lover's arm, Lee Sin put his hand forward as well... but hesitated.

"I-I can't. In good consciousness." Every word that he uttered made it feel like his jaw would drop on the floor, literally. "I am... too weak. To guide the Dragon. I will fail."

"You showed more control over the Spirit than any Guardian in recorded history, young Acolyte... ah, I should not call you that. Guardian." Muscles being stretched. Breathing becoming clearer. A smile? "No one can control the spirit. Had you been more... patient, you would have seen. You never controlled it. But you asked, and it obeyed. You are special, Lee Sin."

"Then..." Every word a new hell of pure pain. "... I acc.. accept..."

The monks bowed in respect, and Udyr looked... confused. Lost. In the Freljord, this would be cause for drinking, for yelling, for being happy. Even a fallen warrior was cause for commemoration in places like Lokfar. Here all that happened was the quiet shuffling of cloth through the wind, the soft breeze making the trees around them shuffle.

"And you, Udyr of...?"

"The Freljord."

"... yes, Udyr of the Freljord. Such mastery over the spirits is rarely seen, let alone so many as you. You fight unrelenting, and with the will to topple mountains in a thousand ways. You may not be an acolyte such as Lee Sin, for you are... your skills are beyond what we can teach. But you merit to be recognized as a Master. Bring the symbols."

The two monks in the back stepped forward, one carrying Mala beads, each bead thick like a melon, though not quite as heavy. The other, red cloth, plain and simple.

Undoing the bandages from the now blind Lee Sin, a hand stopped him from continuing. Lee Sin's hand.

"Let... let Udyr be the one to... do this.. and I.. I will deliver... his own."

Blinking, confused but respectful of Lee's wishes, the Monks gave their gifts to one another. Udyr with the cloth, Lee Sin barely able to carry the beads.

Giving them space, the Monks watched the exchange take place. Udyr's hands, rough and dirty as they were, now acted with the softness of silk. Lee Sin forced himsef to slide the beads around Udyr's neck, the Spirit Walker adjusting it so it would hang around his torso like a quiver.

Lee Sin held his hand there, holding one of the beads, and could hear it before he felt Udyr's fingers softly holding his chin.

"You make me proud. I love you." Freljordian. The Monks, most of wich had long forgotten their lessons in other languages, stared confused between each other. Lee Sin forced himself to smile, the pain making his cheeks feel like they were on fire once again.

"I love you too."

Udyr bent down and placed a soft kiss on his lips, resting his forehead against the other, embracing him while the monks looked in awe. Their breathing shallow against each other, a silent display of affection over the broken and bruised body of Lee Sin.

"Will you leave me?" Lee Sin's voice was barely a hush.

"I will stay for as long as I can."

And he did.


End file.
